


Dousing

by lcblip



Series: Prompts [5]
Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Bath Time, Blushing, Bunny's sweet, Fluff, Jack Feels, M/M, Water Fight, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-30
Updated: 2014-12-30
Packaged: 2018-03-04 07:38:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3000308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lcblip/pseuds/lcblip
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack sometimes doubts his place within the Guardian's ranks. Bothering Bunny always seems to help him feel better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dousing

Dousing

I sighed as I looked over my pond. It’d been twenty years since I joined with the other Guardians, and life was pretty great, I guess. I had over a million believers and counting; with more and more kids seeing me every year. My life had gone from no one- to too many in what felt like a blink of an eye. But no matter how many snow days I made, or how often I went to see the others… sometimes I couldn’t help feeling like it was all too good to be true. Like, I’d wake up the next morning and everything, everyone, would be gone. The kids would walk through me again and the Guardians would ignore me. I couldn’t go back to that. I buried my face in my knees, and gripped my staff. Maybe I could go bother Bunny. He was always fun to mess with, always made me remember I wasn’t alone anymore.

I jumped into the wind, shooting up into the sky. Flying always seemed to help too; feeling the freedom of the wind as she wound around me, helping me to rise above the clouds. Manny shown bright in the sky, his beams ghosting across the tops of the clouds as I twisted and tuned in the air. I’d hated him for most of my existence. Why make me who I am, tell me my name, then drop off the radar? My animosity towards him waned, slowly, after my inauguration, but I still wasn’t his biggest fan. Those three hundred years alone messed with me pretty bad, but I was getting better. I no longer flinched when kids hugged me, or when Bunny would raise one of his hands. North’s size didn’t intimidate me any more either. 

The island that held the only open hole to the warren appeared below me. I still couldn’t believe how obvious Bunny had been. I mean really, Easter Island? Down I dropped and weaved my way through the tunnel; the soft earth and scattered plants were a welcome familiarity. I probably spent more time with the embodiment of Hope than I did with all the others combined. We’d developed an easy friendship once we had cleared the air. The knock-down drag-out fight that happened a few years after I took the oath had paved the way for an almost effortless comradery. 

Inside, the Warren was peaceful and radiant. Gently breezes wafted through the air, flowers and trees seemed to almost glow with health. Stray egglets scittered across the grass. A stray pale green one waddled over and hopped onto the top of my foot as I landed. I loved these little guys. They might not have had faces but they always seemed happy. I picked the tiny thing up and cradled it in my hands. “Hey little guy. Do you happen to know where your maker is?” I asked; it hopped up and down as I placed it back on the ground. It skipped away and I followed.

Bunny came into view as we topped a hill. His steel grey fur was covered in pastel paint splotches. Around him sat hundreds of beautifully decorated eggs, all hand painted with the utmost care. I chuckled and watched one of his ears twitch in my direction. 

“G’day Frostbite. How ya goin’?” He asked, gracing me with a smile as I walked to his side. His smiles came easy now. Lately, though, they had started giving me a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. 

“Oh, the usual. Snow days, pranks, general tomfoolery.” I smirked. He honked a laugh.

“I’d expect nothin’ less. If you’ll give me a tic to wash this paint off I’ll put ya to work. Got some new chocolates for ya to test.” He said, walking to his personal burrow. I still remembered the first time he brought me there. It was late, and I had flown in to escape an altercation between a disgruntled summer spirit. Who knew they didn’t like snow cones? I had hunkered down, under one of his prized oaks, the biggest I’d ever seen, to ice over a burn on my neck; I’d barely been able to dodge the blast. He found me, freaked out, and brought me back to his burrow. He had sat me on top of an ancient wood table and grabbed my chin to lift and turn my head. He grumbled the entire time he patched me up. It ranged from me being completely irresponsible, as he rubbed on a spicy smelling salve, to how I should learn to pick my battles more carefully. When I told him the story he’d sighed at me, but admitted that the guy had it coming.

I followed him in, setting my staff on the hook he’d put up for it, and plucked an orange from the fruit bowl on the table. He walked down a hall and pulled back heavy curtain. Inside was a stone room, the rock was the light grey kind that darkened when it got wet. In the middle of the room was a giant, natural white marble tub. It was amazing. I’d never seen anything like it. Bunny fiddled with some knobs the connected the water system. I was always learning new things about his ingenuity. I walked to his sitting room to keep from staring into the bathroom as I fought down a frosty blush. There was a book in a chair, so I decided to occupy my mind while he cleaned up.

Half an hour later I was halfway through the book when I heard Bunny call for me. “Frostbite? Can ya come here for a tic?” His voice sounded apprehensive.

I walked to the entrance and leaned close to the curtain. “Everything okay in there, cottontail?”

“Come in here, ya dill. I need your help with somethin’.”

I walked in and stared. He sat in the water, fur plastered to his frame. The steel grey was much darker; and I never noticed just how much muscle he had. I frosted again. “W-what do you need help with?”

Bunny turned and showed me his back; paint still clotted in fur. “I can’t reach, ya mind helpin’ a bloke out?”

“Sure,” I quipped, trying to mask my stutters with confidence, “It’ll be good practice for when I get a pet.” He growled at me but allowed me to pour water over the paint. My fingers carded through thick fur to gently massage away the clumps. I could feel his shoulder blades flex under my palms.

“Oh, that’s the stuff.” He groaned. Then a soft rumble filled the silence. It took me half a second to guess what it was.

“Are you purring?” I asked, eyes widening and a grin tugged at my face. This was adorable.

“It’s a Pooka thing.” He told me, I could hear the smile in his voice as he flicked a wet hand at me, sprinkling me with water. I dipped my hand and flicked him back. Thus started an epic splash fest. Bunny twisted and grabbed my arm, pulling me into the tub. I kicked my legs sending waves of water over him. He sputtered and poured a bowl full of water over my head making me squeal. I grabbed his wrists and pushed him back, but slipped on the smooth rock and fell into him making water slosh over the tub’s edge. Our laughter echoed off the stone walls.

After the war ended, and a truce was in place I found myself outside laying in the grass. Bunny had given me a towel to wear as my clothes dried. He sat beside me, fur still damp.

“That was the most entertaining bath I think I’ve ever had.” He huffed a laughed. I nodded in agreement as a comfortable silence washed over us. After a moment, I broke it.

“Thanks, Bunny.” I said softly, looking up. The view of the Warren from my back was almost ethereal.

“For what, mate?”

“Letting me come here. Having fun with me. Helps me remember.” I told him. From my peripherals I saw him look at me.

“What do ya mean ‘remember’?” He asked.

“That I’m not alone anymore. I know it’s been two decades, but sometimes I feel like if I get too comfortable having everyone around… somehow I’ll mess up and get it all taken away. But coming here,” I gestured to the Warren, “Hangin’ out with you, makes me remember that it’s all real. So thank you.”

Bunny was quiet, and I could feel his stare. His sudden movement caught me by surprise; he scooped me up and planted my in his lap. His nose brushed against my forehead as his arms tightened around me. In the shelter of his embrace I felt safe, cared for, wanted.

“Ya don’t have to ever thank me for somethin’ like that, Jackie. And if ya ever feel like that again, you just drop in. In fact, why don’t ya just stay here? You’re here most of the time as is. I can make ya up a room in two shakes of a tail; ya can decorate it however ya want!” He said. By the end of his statement he sounded so excited, and I could practically hear the gears in his head turn with new ideas. I pressed my face into the ruff of his chest and chuckled. 

“I’d love to stay here. You’re the best Bunny.” I mumbled, and pressed a light kiss to his furry cheek.

I felt his nose at my neck and his forehead against my cheek as I repressed a giggle as his ears drooped in embarrassment. “We’ll talk about designs later, after a nap. I’m tuckered.” I nodded and he shifted us to the ground, my head on his chest right over his heart. Bunny’s hand lifted to pet my hair.

The chocolate could wait. I had a new home to move into.

 

End.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed the fic! Remember-any prompt ideas you'd like to share are always appreciated!  
> Happy reading!


End file.
